


Madison

by cablesscutie



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fourth of July, M/M, Madison - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-25
Updated: 2016-11-25
Packaged: 2018-09-02 00:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8644471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cablesscutie/pseuds/cablesscutie
Summary: Jack and Bitty return for another Fourth of July in Madison.





	

Even by night, the air in Madison is thick and humid in July.

“It’s like breathing syrup,” Suzanne remarks, fanning herself.

“Real maple syrup isn’t anything like this,” Jack mutters. Lying on the picnic blanket beside Eric, arm thrown over his eyes, the Bittles had thought he was asleep.

“Oh my lord,” Eric sighs, rolling his eyes, amused smile curling the corners of his lips.

“What? It’s true. It’s the nasty maple-flavored corn syrup that feels all nasty like this.” Suzanne laughs and pats Jack on the arm.

“Sorry to offend, sweet pea.” Jack shifts to look at her. 

“First you insult maple syrup, what’s next? Serving moose burgers at the barbecue?”

“Stop chirping my mother!” Eric scolds him.

“Hmph.” Coach huffs. “She deserves it.”

“You’re just saying that ‘cause you’re sore I got you at dinner!”

“I’m sore ‘cause you’ve got me the past twenty-five years.”

“And counting,” Suzanne flashes her husband a saccharine smile. “As for you, Mr. Smartmouth,” she points a finger at Jack. “You’d better think long and hard about the kind of mother-in-law you want before you get into it with me.” Jack and Eric go bright red at the implication. “Oh o, did I embarrass you boys?” she asks, feigning innocence. Eric holds up his hands in defeat before pushing himself up from the blanket.

“I will not sit here and be collateral damage. I’m gong to get myself some more sweet tea.” Despite the flush on his cheeks, he’s smiling as he hears his parents’ and his boyfriend’s laughter follow him to the rows of picnic tables set up at the other end of the park. 

At the drinks table, he lingered over the pitcher of sweet tea, deliberating whether he trusted Mrs. Morrison or Old Mrs. Turner’s tea the most. As soon as he feels the warm presence looming behind him, he knows it’s Jack; of course he knows, is so accutely tuned into him that he could probably sense him a mile upwind.

“Having fun, sweetheart?” he asks. Jack smiles, stepping up beside Eric so he can see when his nod.

“Yeah. I’m glad your parent’s invited me back this year.”

“Well of course, baby. They just love you.” Even though it’s really too hot and sticky for it, Jack wraps Eric up in his arms and nuzzles at his neck, just because a year ago he couldn’t. Just because he knows that Eric is ticklish and will dissolve into giggles and most days Jack thinks that sound is more important than any goal horn he’ll ever hear.

“It’s a good thing they love me,” Jack tells him. “Because I certainly love you.” He presses a smacking kiss to Eric’s cheek, prompting him to wiggle out of Jack’s grasp. 

“You ridiculous boy!” he laughs, and Jack chuckles, letting his boyfriend go without much of a fight, but still standing close enough that Eric has to tilt his head up to make eye contact. 

“Do you want to head back over to your parents?” he asks.

“If you want to, we can, but I’d be good to wander around for a bit.”

“I think there was dancing at the gazeebo?” Jack suggests, a little sheepish.

“Jack Laurent Zimmermann,” Eric put a hand to his chest as though he were in shock. “Are you telling me you want to dance?”

“It can be fun sometimes.”

“Well. Lead the way.” Jack takes Eric’s hand, because touching Eric is always better than not touching Eric, and he makes a point to be doing so whenever possible. 

The gazeebo has been decorated for the occasion, surrounded by red white and blue bunting, but when Jack and Eric climb the stairs, all they can see are the white Christmas lights that have been wrapped around the railings and posts.

“Oh, this is beautiful,” Eric sighs.

“Would it be too much if I said it’s nowhere near as beautiful as you?” Jack asks, grinning as he settles his free hand on Eric’s hip. 

“It’s so damn sweet, I could just vomit on your shoes,” he chirps, but he’s blushing when he says it, stepping into Jack’s space and then pulling him into the first steps of a slow dance. Eric fits his head under Jack’s chin and rests his hand over Jack’s heart. He’s pleased to find that their proximity still has Jack’s pulse kicking up at the first puff of Eric’s breath against his collarbone. They fit together as easily here as they do at home in their bed, and Eric thinks that they might just work this well in all ways.

The music surrounds them, gentle guitar and sweet lyrics. They settle into silence, but Eric can practically hear the gears turning in Jack’s head. He doesn’t push. Jack’s contemplative moods come rarely, and Eric hates to scare them away. Pressed against Jack’s chest, he feels the shift in breathing that signals Jack preparing to speak.

“Eric?”

“Hm?”

“Is this Taylor Swift?”

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to send in more prompts at imaginezimbits on tumblr, or come say hi at my main, latticeontop!i


End file.
